Title III Strengthening Institutions Program Grant

Academic and Technology Infrastructure Enhancement as a Foundation for Professional and Curricular Development

Activity One

Director:   Peter Allmaker, Associate Dean of Information Technology 

Activity One focuses on modernizing the administrative and technological infrastructure of the college through equipment upgrades and facilities improvement.  The strategies chosen resulted from external research, internal and external consultation, and discussions among administrators and faculty. 

Student Information System

MCLA’s Student Information System (SIS) was significantly outmoded and needed an upgrade.  Title III has budgeted approximately $550,000 over five years to supplement non-federal funds used to implement the new SunGard Higher Education Banner ERP software suite and system.  Several system modules now provide functionality for almost all of the college's administrative departments, including the Registrar's Office, the Bursar's Office, Financial Aid, Residential Life, and Academic Affairs.  System configuration and data transfer continued throughout the 2006-2007 academic year, and administrators and staff have been receiving training. Faculty members will have access to Banner rosters and student schedules for fall 2007 advising, and training will be provided as needed.

Overall, this critical infrastructure upgrade will streamline management functions, help centralize records that were previously in separate systems, and, ultimately, improve student services.  More efficient institutional management is expected to result in improved enrollment and retention outcomes.  It is also expected that the system will aid faculty in advisement, and the long-range goal is to have at least 90% of faculty using it for this purpose.

Learning Management System/WebCT

The Learning Management System (LMS) functions as a means of delivering material in the classroom and via the web through formats such as online courses and platforms for hosting asynchronous and real-time faculty-to-student and student-to-student discussion groups.  Both WebCT, which is leased using Title III funds, and First Class, which is administered by the Title III-funded Academic Technology Director are currently being used for this purpose.  During academic year 2006-2007, approximatelly 100 course sections employed either First Class or WebCT for partial or fully online instruction. 

Training in online course development and use of WebCT is part of the Master Professional Development Plan under Activity Two.  The Director of Academic Technology has been conducting WebCT/Blackboard Vista training sessions and has developed online Best Practices information for faculty users. 

Additional Title III funds will be used to lease and maintain WebCT system access for years three through five of the grant. 

Faculty Training Lab

The Faculty Training Lab, which is part of the Academic Technology Center in Murdock Hall, is the locus for professional development activities under Activity Two.   Approximately $13,000 in Title III funds has been used to purchase five tablet PCs, five desktop PCs, and multi-input switching devices for use in the lab. In addition, the AT Center used Title III funds to purchase two Turning Point Student Response System kits for faculty to pilot.  This equipment allows students to participate in presentations or lectures by submitting real-time responses to interactive questions using a handheld keypad.

Multimedia Classrooms

When the Title III application was submitted in 2004, the goal was to outfit three classrooms in year one of the grant using partial Title III funds.  This objective was proposed within the context of a five year process to gradually furnish all MCLA classrooms with multimedia equipment.  As of spring 2006, approximately 50% of all classrooms had been enhanced using non-Title III funds, including eleven regular classrooms in three campus buildings, two 100 plus seat conference/presentation rooms, and one Multimedia Demonstration Room for use in training and planning.  The classrooms feature all or some of the following: DVD/VCR consoles, speakers, document cameras, projectors, screens, and PCs.  In response to Academic Technology Advisory Group direction, the college used Title III funds to purchase five equipment control panels, speakers, and DVD/VCR units which collectively will be used to equip previously enhanced classrooms.  Four additional classrooms will be outfitted with projection equipment.

Approximately $27,000 in additional grant funds is budgeted for further classroom upgrades, and $17,000 has been budgeted for a Data Lab equipped with Statistical Packages for Social Sciences software.

TV Studio/Digital Media Upgrades

The English/Communications Department used $30,000 in Title III funds to purchase a complete Avid Non-Linear Editing Laboratory setup and a Hewlett-Packard Multimedia Workstation, both to be used for insruction in video editing and production in the college’s TV Studio.  In addition, the Title III budget includes funds for a teleprompter with PC, a digital character generator, and a digital audio board.

Language Lab

During the 2007-2008 academic year, approximately $32,000 in Title III funds will be used to renovate and purchase multimedia equipment for Bowman Hall 202, which is primarily used for Modern Language instruction. The new equipment will be available to anyone who uses the room. 

Updated 8/17/07